DietCoke

District 3 AAA was supposed to have a coaches meeting today. Did this occur with the sonw that we are having? I heard they were going to come up with a tournament format. Why would they wait until now to decide? Seems to me that they should have discussed this a long time ago. Why decide today? Aren't there teams out there that have district games left? Someone out there who may know something please inform us all.

irish, Thank you again for a timely reply. So the reason they are not winning is because of the coach? These 4 seniors would be winning if another coach had them? Surround these slightly above average players with the rest of their summer team and I'm sure they would win a bunch of high school games. Parents have an inflated view of their own children and when things go sour who will take the blame. Their kids, no? The coach is to blame. They make excuses for their child's poor performance and decision making to a coach. What kind of message is being sent to these kids. When they get a job it will be up to them to work and be motivated. You didn't get to where you are in the banking world by making excuses when times got tough. What an exuse, to say I'm not going to play hard or I'm not motivated to play hard because of the coach. I know I'm not going to change your mind and you aren't going to change mine. I have enjoyed the topic though. Aren't sports great?

irish, I don't think any one is doubting your coaching success or knowledge. But thank you for listing all that information for us. We now know that you have benefitted from being on the sideline with all-stars and watching them play. My question to you was the development of the, as you called them, college level talent at Central. Is this another feather in your coaching cap or the result of their high school coaches tirelessly working with them over the summer? Please address this topic. Again, thank you for your resume.

irish, I can't determine if you think these guys can play or not? Are you saying that these seniors developed under you over the summer into college level players? You said they did not have any fundamentals but got better throughout the summer. Is AAU known for their practices? How much individual practice time did you spend with these guys. Strange how they PLAYED better throughout the summer about the same time they were PRACTICING long hours in the gym with Coach Lambert and Tummell. These seniors improvement is attributed to practice not by playing a bunch of games in AAU. AAU is known for games not practice. Practice is where you improve your skill. They practiced with Lambert and Tummell. Practice is how you learn everything. You can't throw a 3 year old a book and say read it! They first have to learn their ABC's. The catchy song helped us all learn our ABC's and then we practiced and practiced and we learned to read. Tom Brady went from a very late, and relatively unknown, draft pick to a 3 time Super Bowl QB. How? By playing all the time? No, he was watching Drew Bledsoe from the sidelines. He did it by practicing. Over and over he was practicing with receivers late into the night. Ben Williamson got his offer from Birmingham Southern due to a team camp down there where he shot the fire out of the basketball. Did he develop that shot by playing AAU or by practing and making 1,000's of shots in the gym on passes and instruction from Lambert? Ask Ben. He practiced. Ask Justin Wilson what took him from a Karns afterthought to a high teens scorer and double figure rebounder per game at Central. The answer, countless hours over the summer practicing with his high school coaches, mainly Coach Tummell. Justin didn't play over the summer, he practiced!!! Any success these young men are having this year is a direct result of their practice over the summer in their gym with their high school coaches. What kind of year would they be having if not for their practice? I agree with smalltown, Central has never been good but here they are competing in every game they play. Winning some and losing some. But they are in every game. Why? AAU games or practice? Ask the players!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with dewayne robinson that bigcatt2 has a lot of good insight on many different topics. I love the fact that bigcatt2 can voice his opinion. Now I will give mine. I know that Coach Lambert not only cares for his players and is a tireless worker, but also an awesome coach. He does have alot of solid high school players that have improved beyond belief over the course of 3 years. Who helped them improve? Who worked with them? Who made himself available all summer to allow them to shoot and improve their skills? Lambert and Tummell is the answer. Where would these seniors be talent wise if they had not worked so hard in the off-season. Ask any of them if Coach Lambert and Tummell are a big reason why they have improved the last 3 years. The answer would be a resounding yes. As far as having his team prepared for an opponent. I dare say that no other coach has a team more prepared than Coach Lambert and his staff. Again, ask any Central player if they know ahead of time what their opponent is going to do both from a team perspective and specifics of the players they will be guarding. They are prepared. Ask them. If they will answer honestly it would be a resounding YES!!! Games that are close are won and lost by players. Coaches put players into position to be successful. Players, not coaches, make shots, turnovers, block out, defend, and decide to play hard. If losing close games means the coaching is rotten then Coach Fulmer should be fired and probably should have never been hired. Fulmer's bunch in '04 made plays and won the close games, in '05 they lost fumbles and didn't make plays and lost the close games. Did Fulmer become an idiot in one year? Ask those who know college basketball if Coach Bray at Notre Dame knows his hoops. He does and has been snake bit all year by close games. Players make plays. I am not comparing Lambert to Fulmer or Bray, but he knows his basketball and several people know it - you would be amazed at the number of coaches who call him to get scouting reports on other teams. They all know that he is prepared and knows what is going on. bigcatt2, what part of Florida do you spend part of your winter in? You seem to have been around this entire winter for basketball.?! Again, I generally like your insights to local hoops and look forward to reading your future game reports as the post-season is right around the corner.

Oak Ridge has a college type coach in Mr. Norris. Prepares like no other. His teams always play with such confidence and class. A direct reflection of their Head coach. Not to say that Webster is not a good coach as well, but I believe Oak Ridge will get a close victory. Another thing about a Norris coached team is that they get better as the season goes on. So if Oak Ridge is to be had, earlier in the district schedule is the opportunity to get it done. Example: Oak Ridge at Campbell County where the Ridgers were tested.

Here is my take. Give a bit of credit to the coaches at Central for realizing that someone other than Cam filled it up against West. Also, and I could be wrong on this, but Cam was held vs. Karns to single digits and Halls still won the game. Again, don't you think at least one of the coaches has scanned a box score or two. They will be prepared. Hate that I'm going to have to miss this one. Big crowd, emotion, and the talent on both of these teams would make for a great evening. Halls in a close one.

Last year I think Central did get a first round victory against one of the out of town teams. Reward for the victory was a second round match-up against Bearden. Don't think the Bobcats won that one. Don't remember who they played in their third game last year or if they won. So, redupset, get your facts together before you cast them from your perch in Morristown.

Doesn't Central play at Campbell Co. tomorrow? Oak Ridge, minus footballers, had a tough go of it up there already this year. Central better be ready to play or they could be staring at a possible 0-3 district start.

Anybody heard a score from Central's game tonight vs. Carter? Details?

Saw Pearl stick it to Central last night. Tell me what you think of this guy. Nice shooter. Good floor game. What do you guys think.

Who will be the out-of-town teams? Someone let us know who is playing.

bump

Great post speedo and I agree

Seems to be funny that it works out that way sometimes.